Separations
by RiskaSG
Summary: Sometimes you just don't know what to think or to do......
1. Prologue

~*~ Prologue ~ *~  
  
Maria sighed as she closed the envelope. She never knew if he would receive her letters or not. She never knew if she had written too much, if somebody would recognize the words between the lines. However, she knew, she could not write what she was really thinking. She did not want to give them any reason to become distrustful. Moreover, she wouldn't give him any reason to be worried.  
  
What worried her most was that she had not gotten a single letter from him. She knew if he received hers, that he would write her back. On the other hand, even if he did, she could never know whether they held back his letters or not.  
  
At night, she laid awake, listening into the terribly silent bedroom, longing for him to be near her. To hear his voice whispering her name, to feel his lips on her lips, his skin on hers.  
  
It almost drove her crazy that she hadn't heard a single word from him for almost seven months.  
  
In the beginning, she had tried to phone him, but they always told her that he was too busy to answer her calls. She eventually gave up. No news is good news, she tried to convince herself. If something bad had happened, they would have to break the news to her. They couldn't let her hang her in this horrible uncertainty anymore. Lately she even had started to pray that she wouldn't receive any news, because she was sure it wouldn't be good. Not after this long time, not in this situation.  
  
She hated to pretend that she was fine, to act like a happy woman. She hated it, that every second sentence of her was a lie. Lies to convince others, as well as herself, that everything was all right, that there was no reason to worry.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Georg sighed as he put the letter back into the envelope. Her regular letters made everything much more difficult. Of course, she wrote that everything was fine and that she was doing well. Nevertheless, he could read between the lines that she wasn't happy, only pretending to be, and that she was waiting for an answer from him. However, he did not write her, he could not. He did not know how to tell her the things he had to tell. Moreover he was convinced that it was the best to tell her nothing at all.  
  
With a last check into the mirror he left the house to met Dr. Grünewald. The man wanted to talk to him about his daughter Klara. Georg had met Klara at a party shortly after his arrival in Bremerhaven. He had liked her from the start on and they had started to see each other. With time, their dates had become more frequent and he had started to court the beautiful woman seriously– the reason for Dr. Grünewald's wish to see him. He was still a married man, there was still Maria. But as Grünewald was an influential man, this shouldn't be any problem.  
  
To be continued.  
  
***ATN: Nothing is like it looks;-)*** ***Thanks a lot to my two Betas Soaz and Iluvtsom:-)*** ***Please review;-)*** 


	2. Chapter 1

~*Chapter 1*~  
  
Dr. Grünewald pulled on his pipe and surveyed Captain von Trapp.  
  
„Well, Captain. I wanted to meet you, because I wanted to talk about some things."  
  
Georg cleared his throat. „Yes. There are certainly a few things we have to talk about, Doctor."  
  
„Lately, you've been seeing my daughter very often.."  
  
„Yes, Doctor, we had a few dates, that's true."  
  
„Although you are married?"  
  
„Well, Doctor, my marriage, you see I married out of an impulse. I didn't think much about it. I was a widower for a very long time –„  
  
Doctor Grünewald cut of him. „ – and couldn't resist your young Governess?"  
  
Georg smiled. „Yes."  
  
„I appreciate your honesty. We all have our little weaknesses, Captain. However, this one brings my daughter into a rather difficult situation. Do you love her?"  
  
„Of course I do. Otherwise I wouldn't have dated her. You see - My marriage with Maria was a terrible fault. I wouldn't even talk of her as my wife. I don't know her very well. We didn't have much contact after the wedding nor before. After we returned from our honeymoon trip, I accepted the offer of Admiral Schreiber to join the Navy of the third Reich. Since then I haven't seen my family because they stayed in Salzburg. As you already said – we all have our little weaknesses from time to time. Maria was a big one. I hope this won't be an obstacle for my relationship with your daughter."  
  
„So you're thinking about a divorce, Captain von Trapp?"the older man gave Georg a firm look.  
  
„Yes, indeed, I do. It is only that it will not be easy to tell my children. They love Maria very much."  
  
„But she isn't their real mother, is she?"  
  
„No, she isn't."  
  
„So this won't be a problem, will it?"  
  
The Captain shook his head. „No, it isn't."  
  
„ I have my contacts Captain. Say a word and you'll be a free man by tomorrow morning. And if you want to see my daughter again, you better accept my kind offer." Grünewald smiled mysteriously.  
  
Georg looked at the man he would call father-in-law soon, hopefully. „Klara and I are having cards for the ballet tomorrow evening. I'll catch her at 7 o'clock."With that, he nodded to the Doctor and left the room. Everything had worked out like clockwork.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Maria was surprised as she heard the doorbell. She didn't expect any guests. She had been alone at the villa for the last few days, as the children were in a summer-camp and the servants had a few days off. Curiously, she opened the door.  
  
„Good evening, Baroness."  
  
„Herr Zeller?"Maria looked at the man and hold her breath. Her fears for Georg came up and she felt cold shivers running down her body.  
  
„Won't you invite me for a cup of tea?"  
  
„Certainly not, Mr. Zeller."  
  
Zeller grinned and entered the villa. „All alone, mmh?"  
  
Maria glanced at the man. His presence made her feel insecure. „May I ask you, what you want?"  
  
„Oh, actually nothing. Just a little signature."  
  
„Signature?"Maria did not understand what he was talking about.  
  
„Yes." Zeller opened his bag and longed for a paper and a pencil. „If you would be so kind to sign here." He pointed at the corner of the paper.  
  
„What is it?" Maria asked.  
  
„The divorce-papers, „Baroness"  
  
Maria gasped „Divorce?"she whispered.  
  
„Yes, your husband already signed them this afternoon."  
  
„He, he signed them?"  
  
„Every toy gets boring after some time."Zeller sneered and walked towards Maria, taking her chin into his hand. „Although you're a pretty one"  
  
Maria stepped back, looking angrily at Zeller. „I don't believe a word and I won't sign anything as long as I haven't talked to Georg. And now I ask you to leave my house immediately!"  
  
„Why are you so angry? There is no need, too. The Captain will pay you a nice amount. So don't be silly and sign the paper."  
  
„I asked you to leave my house, Mr. Zeller." Maria said louder than she had intended to.  
  
„Your house? Tzz, Fräulein, Fräulein. This isn't your house anymore. The Captain wants a divorce, and even if you do not sign this paper he'll get it. He has influential friends, you know. But you'd better sign the paper if you won't go empty-handed. You won't get a Schilling if we'll annul your marriage."  
  
„I want to talk to my husband"  
  
„Silly girl!"Zeller shouted as he grabbed for the nearest phone, dialling a number furiously  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
„Did it work?"Klara asked smiling.  
  
„ Yes, I think so."Georg sighed. He didn't feel comfortable at all.  
  
„I told you that father will organize everything. He would do anything for his little girl."  
  
„A girl he doesn't know at all. "Georg added smiling.  
  
„No. Because he doesn't want to know the truth. He never accepted that I'm not his little girl anymore."Klara looked lovingly at Georg. „You know it was the only way."  
  
He sighed. „Yes. However I just feel terrible – she must feel terrible."  
  
„Georg, if you would have told her –„  
  
„I know, I know, then it wouldn't work."Sadly Georg looked into his almost empty glass of wine. „So, what'll happen next?"  
  
Klara grinned. „That depends on Maria."  
  
„Yes. It is all in her hands, now. I only hope she'll do the right thing."  
  
„She will, believe me, Georg." Klara tried to encourage Georg.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Maria looked at her golden wedding ring, which lay on the brown desk. She even could not cry anymore. Everything seemed so wrong to her, as if somebody had waken her up after a long, wonderful dream, if somebody had said: Okay, you had your fun, now it's over.  
  
„Baroness?"  
  
Startled Maria turned around. „Who are you?"She stammered, looking at the woman that stood in front of her.  
  
„My name is Klara Grünewald."The woman stated with a smile on her face.  
  
To be continued.  
  
**ATN: Thanks to Iluvtsom and Soaz!!!! I hope you all like this chapter – sorry for the long delay. However the story is finished. I'm just working on Grammar and that stuff;-) Please review;-) *** 


	3. Chapter 2

~*Chapter 2*~  
  
Surprised Maria looked at the woman. "What do you want?"  
  
"I got to talk to you, Baroness."  
  
"I'm not a Baroness anymore."Maria whispered, feeling the knot in her stomach again.  
  
Klara laughed. "Well, maybe not at the moment."When Maria did not respond, she went on. "You see, we – Georg and I- are deeply sorry."  
  
"Georg and you?"Maria asked confused  
  
"Yes. However, this was the only way."  
  
"The only way....."Maria looked at her wedding ring again, suddenly feeling the tears coming again. "The only way."She laughed sadly.  
  
"Don't get me wrong. Georg never intended to have a divorce, especially not because of me."  
  
"Really, he didn't? Well to me, everything seems very real!" Maria said aloud.  
  
"I want you to listen to me very carefully now. We don't have much time, in a few minutes this house will be filled with people to organize everything for the wedding."  
  
"The wedding?"Maria almost shouted. "He doesn't loose much time, does he?"  
  
"If you'd ask him, he would tell you that he has already lost too much time–"The sound of arriving cars came through the open windows. "Listen. Take the money that Georg offered you as compensation."  
  
"I won't take anything from him!"  
  
"But you've got to! Haven't you wondered why it's so much?"  
  
"I –"  
  
"Just listen to me!"The sound of a closing door down in the hallway made Klara hurry. "Take the money and leave Austria for a long trip to England, pretend you want to make a journey to forget the divorce – a journey you will never return from. Do you understand me? Never come back to Austria! Make sure that the money isn't in a German bank. Georg will –"she was interrupted by the voice of Herr Zeller.  
  
"Mrs. Kutschera,"he laughed. "I think it's better if you leave this house, now!"  
  
Klara looked at him. "I thought she was already out! Can you imagine how embarrassing it is! I come here to my new home and there's still this, this – Governess". With that, she left the room, slamming the door behind her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Everybody except the von Trapp children applauded. They watched the scenery with unbelieving eyes. They had not spoken with their father since he had told them of the divorce of Maria. They just couldn't understand what had happened. Why he behaved so distant again. He even wanted to send them to a bordering school in England. Moreover, he seemed to have arranged with the program of the NSDAP. Actually, none of them had wanted to go to the wedding, but their father had told them unequivocal that they better should. So they finally had given in, however they still ignored their father and his new wife, punishing them with silence.  
  
Nevertheless, nobody, neither the children nor the other guests, noticed that the kiss between the freshly married couple missed everything it should have. There was no longing, no passion. It was just the seal on a pact they had made a long time before.  
  
**ATN: NSPAP means "Nationalsozialistische Partei Deutschlands", that's the name of Hitler's party *** Thanks a lot to my two Betas*** @ChickenCurry: Never forget: The hills are alive with the Sound of Music;-)**** 


	4. Chapter 3

~*Chapter 3*~ 

FLASHBACK 

_After they had left the stage, the officers  were already waiting for them.  _

_"I don't think you've got to wait for the announcement of the winners, Captain." Zeller grinned and his men grabbed for Georg's arms. "You better say good-bye to your family, now." _

_Georg looked at their white faces. It hadn't worked.  They couldn't trick Zeller. They would take him to Bremerhaven, leaving his family in an Austria that became more dangerously day-by-day. _

_~*~_

_The first days in Bremerhaven he had been brought from party to party to introduce him to the important people of the society. He didn't say much, he just nodded, trying not to show what he was really thinking. _

_He didn't exactly know how dangerous the situation in Germany – and Austria -  was. However, he had heard many gossips and he did not want his family to get into any troubles. _

_One other night, at yet another party he had met Klara. He had been sitting on a sofa, watching the scenery as she suddenly stood in front of him. _

_"You shouldn't look so worried, Captain von Trapp" _

_He was surprised she knew his name, he hadn't seen her before. _

_"Klara, Klara Grünewald" she introduced herself and sat next to him. For a while nobody said anything, but suddenly she started to introduce all the people in the room, telling him who they were. By the sound of her voice, he could tell she didn't like most of them. Moreover, he could feel she was somebody he could talk to, as she pronounced all the titles of the NSDAP members with great sarcasm, described their jobs with irony in her voice. _

_The next day she suddenly appeared in his flat and they had tea - the beginning of many meetings. First, he was not sure if he could really trust her, but soon he realized that she was really thinking the same way he did. _

_She was able to convince him at least to pretend he was getting used to the ideas of the National socialists. Her friendship helped a lot to back up his sudden change as she had the reputation of being a proper, decent girl, the perfectly "arische" woman. _

_So the plan, this horrible plan slowly came to his mind and when he finally found the courage to tell her about his idea, she agreed immediately. Carefully they planned everything, thought about every occasion and possibility. _

_Many times Georg had almost stopped the enterprise. He just could not stand the thought of the children's or Maria's reactions. Nevertheless, the situation in Europe got more and more dangerous and all he wanted was his family in safety. He wouldn't be able to get them out of Austria from this distance, not without them knowing it. Maybe he had convinced the people in Bremerhaven that he had become a dedicated member of the party, however Zeller was still suspicious. He observed every move of Maria and the children, Georg could tell that somebody else had opened Maria's letters before he got them. Maria's letters – every new one made him feel worse and although he waited for each and everyone, at the same time he wished there wouldn't be any. _

_Mostly he regretted  the day of their divorce, the first day he had heard Maria's voice again in seven months. Zeller had phoned Bremerhaven that day. Georg had been afraid that something like this might happen; that Maria might refuse to sign the paper. Actually, he knew it would happen, because in her letters she never even mentioned the lack of his letters, his total silence towards her. When he heard her voice saying his name that day, he was in a state of shock. Instead of being able to tell her the truth, he was only able to tell her a lie, to tell her to sign the paper, hanging up with a guilty feeling, a knot in his throat, knowing that there was no way back. _

End Flashback 

~*~*~*~

After the wedding ceremony, the couple left Salzburg as soon as possible, heading for their plane to England. Klara's father owned a little cottage in Cornwall, where they intended to spend their honeymoon. Besides the new school of the children was located in Cornwall, too. Therefore they would join the couple for a few days, before school would begin after the holidays.   

Lying lazily in front of the crackling fire, Klara sipped at her champagne. "You know, Georg, I always imagined that my wedding night would be a little more passionate." She smiled as she watched Georg, putting on his jacket. 

"I'm sorry." He looked at his new wife. 

"Never mind." she grinned. 

"Klara?" Georg looked at her. "You never told me why you're really doing it." 

"Doing what?" she asked 

"This – marrying me, helping me." 

"Because I'm a coward," she answered. 

„A coward?" 

"Yes." Klara smiled. "A brave person would stand up, saying what she's thinking, what she's feeling about all the things that are going on. However, I am not as brave as I would like to be. I am only the spoilt daughter of a rich man, trying to do something with a meaning for the first time in her life. That's all."

"If you ask me, that's pretty brave." 

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't." She sighed. "Maybe that's egoistic, but it makes me feel better. At least I can say I did not watch the things without doing something, at least I helped one person, although it should have been more. But as I already said – I'm not a brave person. So this has to be enough to reassure my conscience." 

"Thank you." Georg smiled and silently vanished through the door.  

~*~*~*~

Maria's sleep was troubled. Even in the nights she couldn't find rest, one ugly dream always followed the other. Suddenly, she heard a well-known voice whispering her name. She smelt his scent and felt all her senses waking up when his lips gently touched the skin of her cheeks. She pressed her body against his, searching for his lips, moaning softly as she felt the reaction of her body to his touch, answering his deep kiss passionately. 

Everything seemed so real. Slowly she opened her eyes, confused for a moment, then realizing that this time it wasn't a dream, it was reality. 

Quickly, she got up, almost yelling "What the –" but Georg gripped her, silencing her by pressing his hand on her mouth. 

"Shhhhhhhh…." He tried to calm her down, while Maria desperately fought his strong grasp. "Please Maria, stop it. There's an explanation for everything," he whispered. "Please....." 

Finally, she stopped trying to escape his grip and Georg felt wet drops falling on his hand, which still covered her mouth. Slowly, he let her go and Maria almost ran to the wall of her room, pressing against it, not able to utter a word, just staring at the floor of her small room. 

He walked towards her, wanting to touch her cheek, but she turned her head away, refusing to look at him. For a while, Georg stood next to her, not knowing what to say or to do. Eventually he sighed and sat on the bed. 

"This was the only way to get you out of Austria," he whispered. "The only way to get the children out of Austria. I know it was not fair. However, this was the only way. Everything else would have made them suspicious. I could not tell you what's going on, it would have been too dangerous. I wanted you to be safe, Maria." He looked at her, waiting for an answer, hoping she would understand. 

Through her tears, Maria looked at Georg. Her thoughts were running through her head while she tried to understand his words. 

"Leave me alone, Georg." She finally whispered. "Please go." 

Georg swallowed. "All right."  Slowly he walked towards the door, turning around a last time. "The children –„ 

Maria looked up. 

"They –" he let out a despairing laugh. "They don't know anything yet. They just hate me, this time they really do." He stared at the moonbeams that shined through the window. "They'll be sent to a boarding school in this village after the summer-holidays. I want you to visit them. Take them away, out of Europe. There will be war soon, Maria. I don't want any of you to be in Europe. Take them away with you. Please!" 

Maria made a step towards Georg. "But –"     

"No, Maria. There's no but. Just do it! If you love them, if you ever loved me – just do it." 

He smiled at his ex-wife and left the room, leaving Maria alone. She broke down, the hot tears of despair streaming down her face.

To be continued 

**ATN: Thanks a lot to my two Betas Iluvtsom and Soaz!!!! AS well as a huge thanks to all my readers! I really loved your reviews and hope there'll be lots more *GGGG* I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it**


	5. Chapter 4

~*Chapter 4*~  
  
"Marta, would you be so kind to keep quiet." Maria said as she tried to pin the needle onto the material that surrounded the girl.  
  
"I just can't Mother. I'm much too excited."  
  
"Excitement that would be in vain, if we don't finish the dress till 7 o'clock – so just keep quiet."  
  
"But you will finish it?" Marta asked a little worried. "Because this is really important to me, you know. I want to look good, when Jeremy catches me!  
  
"It'll be finished and you will look fantastic, believe me. Just stop -"  
  
"- moving, I know, I know." Marta finished the sentence.  
  
"Yes." Maria sighed and concentrated on the material again. Suddenly, the door flew open and Kurt stormed into the room.  
  
"It's over! It's over!" He shouted, throwing a newspaper on the table. "It's over," he said once more, smiling out of breath.  
  
Maria looked at her son, surprised, and finally at the newspaper. "Oh my God." She whispered, reading the big letters on the front page. "It's over." She looked at Marta who stood next to her, reading the news unbelievingly. The war was finally over.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Georg looked at the little house. After the end of the war, after he had gotten his Persilschein, he had tried to find his family as fast as possible and finally he heard that they lived in a little village in New England.  
  
He would never forget his relief when the officer had told him that his children had vanished from their bordering school in England almost 8 years before. Up to this time, the relationship between England and Germany had already been so critical that the British police refused almost every cooperation and with the beginning of the war a few days later, it naturally stopped completely. He had been glad that Maria had listened to him that night and had done what he had asked her to do, although he had betrayed her.  
  
Georg had spent the war on different ships, trying to circumvent the big battles by commanding his crews to do more bad than good. However, he had never tried to do brave things like Stauffenberg. He regretted it, but he always had thought of Klara, too and wanted her not to get into any trouble. She had helped him in so many ways, not only to bring his family into safety, but playing his loving wife, although they certainly were not more than good friends. She never had even asked for more. He knew she wanted to have a real family, children of her own. She just had been there for him, caressing him, encouraging him. After the end of the war, they had divorced silently. Georg hoped that Klara would soon have a real family. Moreover, he hoped he would be able to get his family back, too.  
  
Now he stood there, looking at the little white house, trying to find the courage to finish his journey, when he suddenly saw a woman leaving the house. He recognized her immediately, but at the same time all his hope vanished.  
  
"How could I have been so silly." He said to himself "How could I have imagined she would wait for me?"  
  
Not moving, he watched Maria, who tried to hang up the wet clothes while the Baby in her arms made it almost impossible.  
  
To be continued  
  
***ATN: A Persilschein means a denazification certificate. **** Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg was a Anti-Hitler-Conspirator. He joined a plot to kill Adolf Hitler. Von Stauffenberg planted a briefcase bomb during a staff meeting with Hitler in July of 1944; though the bomb went off as planned, Hitler was not killed. Von Stauffenberg escaped the blast but was captured and executed the same day. **** A huge, huge Thanks to my two great, grand, wonderful Betas *** Please review!! *** 


	6. Chapter 5

~*Chapter 5*~  
  
Maria ran into the house when she heard the sound of the phone. Still holding little Johannes in her arms, she reached for the receiver.  
  
"Do you have any news?" she asked immediately, knowing it was Liesl.  
  
"No. He seems to have vanished." Her oldest daughter sighed. "Has Friedrich already phoned you? Does he have any news about father?"  
  
Maria shook her head. "He called last evening, but he hasn't found out anything either."  
  
"But he must be somewhere!"  
  
"I'm sure you'll find him, Liesl."  
  
"Not even his wife knows where he is. Or should I say ex-wife?"  
  
Maria hold her breath. "Ex-Wife?"  
  
Liesl answered in the affirmative. "They divorced after the war. She confirmed the story he told you. At least he never left you because of her."  
  
"Liesl, you shouldn't talk of him like that. He only wanted your safety."  
  
"Really? Well – if you ask me, there would have been other ways."  
  
"But you know he never intended to hurt you. Look at Europe, at all the bombed out towns, all the deaths and the misery and tell me you're not happy that you weren't there. That you were safe."  
  
"Of course I'm glad that you brought us out of Europe. You, Mother. Not Father."  
  
"But I never would have done so, if he hadn't told me."  
  
"He lied to us! We've been there at his wedding, we've been around him for some days. He could have told us. Didn't he trust us? We wouldn't have told anybody."  
  
"Liesl, please, can't you just forget what has happened?"  
  
"Could you ever, Mother?"  
  
Maria twitched. Liesl had touched her sore spot. "That's something different." she said quietly.  
  
"It is not. You know it isn't." Liesl retorted, not understanding how Maria could look at her Father's behaviour from two different points of view. She knew that her Father had hurt Maria deeply – still she always sheltered him from the blame of his children.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Georg had lost the track of the time. He had no idea how long he had been staring at the house; he only knew he had to see her, even if he would risk bumping into her new husband. He realized it would not make any sense to put off their meeting. He wanted to see his children and as she was their Mother, it was inevitable to see her again.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Silently, Maria closed the door behind herself. Johannes had finally fallen asleep and she still had to look after the clothes.  
  
"Hello, Maria."  
  
Maria took a step back. "Georg?" she asked, unbelievingly.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"But – we thought – we've been searching for you" she stammered.  
  
Her words relieved him. "You were?"  
  
"The children, yes."  
  
"The children...."Georg said lovingly "How are they?"  
  
"Fine. They became wonderful people." The whole situation made Maria feel uneasy. She did not know what to say to him after all this years, although she had imagined it so often. Therefore, she just looked at Georg for a few moments, finally asking him to come in.  
  
They did not talk to each other, while Maria made some tea, they didn't talk to each other while they sat at the table of the kitchen, both stirring their tea thoughtfully. Neither of them knew what to say, although there were so many things occupying them, so many questions running through their minds and both were truly thankful when the sound of a crying baby broke the silence.  
  
"I'm sorry." Maria said after she returned. "He's teething."  
  
"No problem. I remember how –"Georg stopped.  
  
"How?" Maria asked softly.  
  
"How the children were getting their first teeth." He sipped at his tea. "You must be very proud of him."  
  
"Yes." Maria smiled, suddenly realizing that she hadn't told Georg of Johannes yet.  
  
"Your husband –"  
  
"He's your –"  
  
They said at the same time.  
  
Maria looked confused at Georg. "My husband?"  
  
"Yes. I suppose he's a very lucky guy." Georg stammered.  
  
"My husband?" Suddenly Maria could not help laughing, for a moment forgetting all the things that had been bothering her. "Oh Georg, I'm not married."  
  
"You're, you're not?" Surprised he looked at her and the expression on his face made her laugh even harder. "But the, the baby."  
  
Maria gasped for breath. "I'm sorry, I just –"she wiped a tear out of her eye. "I'm not his mother, Georg. He is my – your – he's our grandson."  
  
"My grandson? You mean I'm, I'm a –"  
  
"Grandfather, yes." Maria nodded.  
  
"But who?"  
  
"Johannes is Liesl's son. She married two years before."  
  
"But she's still a child."  
  
"She's 24 years old Georg. She certainly isn't a child anymore." Her words made both of them hold their breath, realizing how much time had gone by, how much Georg had missed.  
  
"What about the others?" he asked quietly.  
  
"They, they're doing really well. The little ones are still going to the school and Friedrich is studying medicine. He has a wonderful fiancée, too. And Louisa, she's doing a pretty good job as nursery-school teacher." Maria swallowed. She could have told him so much, so many wonderful stories about his children. However, her voice refused to.  
  
"Are they mad at me?"  
  
Maria shook her head. "They've been sad, disappointed. Maybe angry, but never mad. Do you think they would be searching for you if they were?"  
  
"I don't know." Georg shook his head sadly. "I don't know if it was right or wrong to leave you all like this."  
  
"You wanted them in safety. There's nothing wrong about it. Parents want to know that their children are safe."  
  
Georg glanced at Maria "What about you?"  
  
"Me?" she whispered.  
  
"Yes. Are you mad at me?"  
  
"I can't answer this question simply. I – I would have done everything for you Georg, I trusted you blindly. For the first time in my life, I felt complete – and in one second I lost everything. When Zeller took you to Bremerhaven, I felt lost, but I still carried on – for the children, for you. From one moment to the next, without any sign you left me, you took the children away from me. You could have murdered me and it would not have made any difference. However, after you came to me that night, I understood why you had done it. I did what you told me, because all this –"she stopped, tears glittering in her eyes. "- it shouldn't be in vain." She whispered. "To say the truth, Georg, yes, sometimes I really hated you. And even worse, I never stopped loving you." Maria reached for some of the dishes, quickly bringing them into the kitchen, where she started washing them, her tears mingling with the dishwater.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Maria's words echoed in his head. Georg couldn't move nor put his thoughts in order. He didn't know what he had expected. He had hoped that they maybe would get a second chance, yes, but Maria's soft words had hurt him more than any insults ever could.  
  
To be continued  
  
**ATN: Thanks for all your kind reviews..keep reviewing, LOL.*** Hugs to my two awesome Betas!*** 


	7. Chapter 6

~*Chapter 6*~ 

Maria had been surprised when she received the parcel since she hardly ever got mail. In the hectic of the day, she soon forgot it, so finally it was late evening when she found the time to open it.

It contained a beautiful old wooden box with an engraved Edelweiss on the lid. Carefully she opened it and held her breath when she saw the contents. A green loop held a pile of old letters together. Slowly, she opened the loop and looked at the uppermost letter, while she gently stroked the address on it. She knew this handwriting too well – it was her own. As well as she knew the content of the letter, without even reading it. This had been the first letter she had written to Georg after they had taken him to Bremerhaven. 

She lifted the letter and looked at the next one. The address was written with a well-known writing, too. Nevertheless, this time it wasn't her own, it was Georg's. 

With shaking hands, she opened the faded envelope and unfolded the paper. The letter was dated October 1938. 

Maria glanced over the words and started to go through the pile hastily. Every letter of hers had a response from Georg, envelope after envelope, letter after letter, words that had been written years ago, words which were directed to her eight-year younger self, words which revealed Georg's thoughts, words which answered all her unasked questions and completed the puzzle of her past. 

Smiling, she read the last letter, which was only three days old. "You crazy bastard….." She whispered to herself, her hand enclosing the golden ring that had been in the envelope. 

~*~*~*~

Drowsily, Georg opened the door of his hotel-room, it was long past midnight and he certainly hadn't expected any visitors at this time.  

"May I?" Without even waiting for an answer, Maria entered the room, walking strictly to the sitting-group in front of the chimney and sat down. 

Georg grinned and closed the door. "Maria." 

"Georg." She answered his smile and opened her purse, taking out the letters. "Do you really think this will change everything?" 

Georg walked towards the sitting-group and sat down, too. He glanced at Maria, trying to interpret the expression on her face. 

Maria looked at the letters. "You know, those, they really helped me to understand you. I mean – somehow I always did. But on the other hand…." She sighed, not knowing how to go on. "It's so hard to explain my feelings, Georg." She looked at him firmly. 

"I know. It's hard for me, too." For a while, neither of them said anything. They were just looking into each other's eyes, searching for the right words. 

Georg was the first who spoke. "You have changed so much. When I met you the first time, you were so, so girlish. Now you're a woman. Not that you hadn't been before, but there's something different. I always expected you wouldn't change, that you still would be the woman I married. I never thought about the fact that you could change. In my imagination, you didn't. I was truly surprised when I saw you the first time after our separation." 

"In which way?" Maria asked quietly. 

"That you became a better woman." 

Maria laughed. "A better woman?" 

"Maybe better is the wrong word. I just don't know how to describe it. Nevertheless, you changed. You changed a lot." 

"Of course I've changed. Everybody does. But I wouldn't call it better, I just got reasonably well. I haven't had much time for daydreaming in the last years; I had to face the reality,  real reality, for the first time in my life." 

"Do you think that there, in this new reality, that there'll be a place for me?" 

"I don't know, I truly don't know. Maybe we could just be friends?" She bit her lip. She knew this must sound like an ordinary phrase to him, but it was not. When she saw his silent nodding, Maria went on. "I need you Georg, the children need you. However, I don't know how long it will take until I can wholeheartedly trust you again, if I ever will be able to trust you again. I need some time. I just can't say, "let's be lovers again". I need the time to getting to know you again, to trust you again. And I only can do this, if you'll be my friend. I won't, I can't lie at you, Georg - I don't think that I ever will be able to love you again the way I did." 

Maria got up "I'd like you to keep this." She took Georg's hand and put the golden ring into it. "Maybe you'll need it again, one day." 

~*~*~*~

After Maria had left, Georg hadn't moved for an eternity, his fingers still enclosing the ring. Although he had wished to have her back as a lover, he accepted her decision. However the short touch of their fingers had sent jolts of electricity through his body, the smell of her perfume had awakened all his senses. 

~*~*~*~

Tonight, Maria laid awake again, thoughts of Georg kept her awake like so many nights before. 

When their hands had touched, there had been a few seconds in which she had forgotten everything. In which every part of her body had longed for his touch. However, this feeling at just lasted for a moment until she had felt the reality entering her perception again, until her brain had told her to go.  

~*~*~*~ 

Finally, Georg had started to pack his bags, as his plane would leave in a few hours. He was happy that he had found his family again. 

He would never forget the first moments when he had seen his children again. The surprised expressions on their faces, the few seconds they had just stared at him and the wonderful feeling when they finally had started to laugh, hugging him, all seven speaking at the same time, everybody trying to be the first to tell their father their story. 

During all his hugging, chatting and laughing, he had glanced at Maria, how she stood at the door, smiling, tears filling her eyes and how she quickly turned around when she realized he was looking at her. 

Georg was happy that the children seemed to understand the reasons for his past behaviour and did not talk about it anymore. They were just happy to be reunite again.

After he had cleared the relationship to the children, he wanted to clear the one with Maria, too. For a long time he had thought about the way, finally concluding to send her the letters she and he had written a long time before.  

He was glad she had answered to his last letter, a letter he had only written three days ago. Maybe not directly, but her short visit in his hotel room, her words convinced him that there maybe would be a future for them, that she maybe would agree to what he had asked for. 

~*~*~*~ 

Maria ran through the hall, hoping she was not too late. After she had been laying awake for hours, she decided that there was nothing to lose. She had read Georg's last letter repeatedly, although she already knew it by heart. 

She had given him back the ring – however, not the ticket as she had intended to .._there's still a villa down there in Austria, our home..._she remembered the words of his letter. 

Our home. There was nothing to lose, nothing to be afraid of. Although she doubted she ever would be able to love him as a man again, she loved him as the father of their children, as the man who had saved her children. She knew it wasn't logical at all, but she decided to accept her feelings as they were. She was so sick to think about it again and again. 

~*~*~*~ 

Georg fastened his seatbelt. He didn't like flying, actually he hated it, he had always preferred the waterway. Nevertheless, he was excited to return to Austria. He hadn't been there for a very long time. He didn't know if the villa was still there or if it had been destroyed in one of the bomb raids. However, he wanted to return there, to build a new home there. The children should find everything as beautiful as possible when they would visit him, as well as…….."Maria?" 

To be continued. 

***ATN: Thanks to my two Betas, who helped me a lot, especially with this chapter (Edelweiss and reunions *GG*)*** Hope you all like it;-)*** 


	8. Chapter 7

~*Chapter 7* ~

Out of breath, Maria sat down next to him, smiling at her ex-husband. 

"I forgot to give you the ticket back." She said, holding the paper to Georg who took it grinning. 

"Oh yes, thank you for bringing it back." 

"You're welcome." she smiled. 

"Well, this plane will take off soon; you'd better hurry if you don't want to end up in Austria." 

"I'm afraid I'm much too exhausted to get up." She whispered, leaning back in her seat. 

"Then you better rest for a while." 

"Mmmh." Maria nodded "Besides, I suppose you might need someone to hold your hand, or has your opinion towards flying changed?" 

"Erm, not really" He blushed slightly. "I hope you haven't told anybody." 

"No, of course not. I promised you, remember?" 

"Yes." Georg smiled, suddenly feeling a lot better. How could he ever forget their flight to Paris nine years ago, Maria's surprised laughter after she had realized he was afraid of flying, her kiss after she had promised him not to tell anybody that Captain von Trapp was afraid of something. 

"Better?" Maria asked playfully, laying her hand on his, and both laughed. 

~*~*~*~

"I just don't get it." Martha said, somewhat angrily.  

"Me neither. Grown-ups behave _so_ silly sometimes." Gretl agreed her sister. 

"You wanna say you suddenly don't feel grown-up anymore?" Kurt teased her. 

"Of course I do - Of course I am." Gretl protested. "However, I'll never act like that. They behave like children."  

"I thought like grown-ups." Kurt giggled. "However you're right, somebody should do something." 

"And what? Do you want to close them into a room?" Brigitta looked at her brother. She and her siblings were sitting on the terrace of the von Trapp villa, enjoying the view at the lake that lay peacefully in the beams of the evening sun. 

"Maybe that would be an idea." Liesl sighed. "On the other hand, maybe they, maybe Mother just needs some more time." 

"Even more?" Friedrich shook his head. 

"He hurt her badly, Friedrich." 

"It hurt me, too, when he left us like this. However, he told us why he did. And to say the truth: I would have done the same." 

"Friedrich! You wouldn't." Louisa shouted surprised at her brother. 

"Of course I would. Maybe it's not the nicest way, but it was the only one. I know that, you know that, Mother knows that. If he had told us, one of us would have told something. We have never been good liars, none of us. Remember the blue strawberries?" 

"Yeah, but that was you!" Marta pointed at her oldest brother. 

"Because none of you had a better idea." He blushed upon the memory of his silly lie. 

"Maybe we should get back to the point." Peter said.  Liesl's husband had quietly listened to the chat between the siblings until now. "Sometimes you got to play matchmaker, right? Well – so why don't we just do it?" 

"And how, Darling?" 

"When you didn't want to marry me, after I had asked you the first time, Stephanie suddenly was quiet interested in me, remember?" 

"Yeah but –" Liesl stopped. "I just can't believe it! You did that on purpose?" 

"Of course I did. Even Shakespeare said that the oldest weapon is jealousy." Peter grinned and the others couldn't help but grin too. 

"Oh my God and I married you." Liesl rolled her eyes. "I can only hope that Johannes will never get like that."

All of sudden Marta got up. 

"Where are you going?" Brigitta asked her surprised. 

"Playing matchmaker." The young girl said mysteriously. 

TBC. 

**ATN: The unwritten rule of all SOM-FanFic's: Always mention strawberries – BLUE strawberries;-) ***  Thanks again to my two lovely Betas;-)**** Please review! ****


	9. Chapter 8

~*Chapter 8*~

Klara had been surprised after Martha had called her, however she had agreed immediately to the unusual suggestion. This time it would be for a better reason. So why shouldn't she play the woman in love with Georg von Trapp for a second time? 

~*~*~*~

She had been wrong. Ever since that woman had arrived at the villa, Maria couldn't help but feel that knot in her stomach. She had thought she had started to love Georg in another way. However, she had been wrong. Her sensibility had beaten her sense. She had found the courage to admit this to herself.  But how to tell Georg? 

Whenever she had noticed that look in his eyes in the last months, a look that told her he longed for more than friendship, she had told him what a wonderful friend he was, making sure he would not cross the invisible line. How could she tell him the difference? How could she tell him that something in her still longed for him as her lover, her husband? 

~*~*~*~ 

First Georg had been surprised when Klara suddenly had appeared in the Villa. In addition, his surprise grew even bigger when he realized she was obviously flirting with him. For a moment, he had been tempted to believe her, but then the scales fell from his eyes.  

"Who is paying you this time?" he asked Klara, who started to laugh. 

"Have you ever paid me?" she answered.  

Georg couldn't help but laugh, too. "No. However, you can't tell me you suddenly realized you actually love me."

"I love you!" she protested. 

"Not this way – so who? I will find out if you tell me or not. So who?" 

"Okay, you got me, Georg." 

"And?" 

"And what?" 

"Klara!"

"Okay, okay. Your children." 

"The children?" 

"Yes." Klara said amused. "I suppose they're playing –"

"Matchmaker." Georg finished her sentence. "Klara – I'm really thankful you're trying to help them. However, I lied once at her. I used a lie to get a divorce. I won't use another lie to win her back." 

Klara nodded. "That's a wise decision." 

"Is it?" Georg sighed. He didn't know if it really was. Maybe he should let the game go on. 

"Yes. Nevertheless, it already had worked. Haven't you seen the look in her eyes?" 

Georg nodded, but he didn't know if he should be happy about it or not. 

~*~*~*~

Maria felt a single tear falling down her cheek. She had not intended to do ears dropping, it just had happened and the words she had heard made her shiver all over. 

There he had the chance. Now she knew he knew it. That he knew how she was feeling. That he knew he could easily use Klara's presence to win her back, but he didn't. And she felt that old, familiar feeling again, the feeling she used to have in his presence, which absence made her resist. She suddenly felt trust again. 

**So this is the last chapter…don't like the end…hehehe...well – there's still an epilogue. Review and I'll post it *GG* Thanks a lot to my two incredible Betas Soaz and Iluvtsom!!!*** 

So….To be continued. 


	10. Epilogue

~*Epilogue*~ 

The first beams of the morning sun woke her up. She needed a moment to realize where she was or what had happened, however, the memory came back soon. Smiling, she enjoyed the silence of this new day, enjoyed the feeling of his closeness. 

"How have you slept?" he murmured, kissing her hair. 

"Wonderful." She answered, moving her head a little so she could look into his eyes. 

"The old Maria never would have done that." Georg grinned and kissed her softly. "Not without being married." 

Maria hit Georg on his shoulder. "You -" she couldn't go on as he covered her mouth with another kiss. 

"Will you?" he asked her between two kisses. 

"What?" Maria asked laughing. 

"Doing it." 

"I was under the impression we already did it." 

"Maria!" Georg answered with played shock. "I was talking about something else." 

"And about what?" Maria whispered, taking his hand into hers, when she suddenly felt something cold on her ring finger. 

"You told me I should keep him, that I might need it again. So, will you?" 

"You're a crazy -" Again she felt his lips on hers and a wave of warm shivers running through her body.  

"Is that a yes?" Georg whispered, burying his head on her shoulder. 

"What?" 

"This kiss."

"You forced me to kiss you." She answered playfully. 

"Oh….for the fact I forced you, the answer to this stolen kiss was pretty passionate." 

Maria gently stroked his hair. The feeling of his butterfly kisses on her shoulder, the feeling of his warm breath on her skin made her forget she still had to answer Georg's question.  However, he was persistent. Pulling her close to his body, he asked her a third time. 

"Will you?" 

Maria smiled. "I don't know – maybe we should ask….." 

"…the children" both finished the sentence. 

The End. 

*I hope this is a good end, LOL……and sigh – just tell me;-) A last big, huge THANXXX  to my two wonderful Betas Soaz and Iluvtsom (without you this story wouldn't have been what it is) – as well as to my readers and reviewers! Thank you for reading "Separations" - I hope you enjoyed it!*


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